1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a machine tool assembling apparatus for assembling a machine tool by combining a plurality of parts, and a method of assembling a machine tool using such a machine tool assembling apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, machine tools are constructed by combining a plurality of parts. For example, some gang heads (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-337633) are constructed of three major parts including a first gear case, a second gear case, and a front panel. It is customary in the art to join the first gear case and the second gear case in a stacked fashion in a first station, deliver the first gear case and the second gear case to a second station, and thereafter join the front panel to the second gear case in a stacked fashion.
Specifically, in the first station, the first gear case is placed on the second gear case, and then the first gear case and the second gear case are joined to each other. At this time, the second gear case is positioned lower than the first gear case.
Before the assembly of the first gear case and the second gear case delivered from the first station reach the second station, the assembly of the first gear case and the second gear case is turned upside down in an inverting station disposed between the first station and the second station.
In the second station, the front panel is placed on the second gear case, and the front panel and the second gear case are joined to each other.
The assembly is delivered from the first station via the inverting station to the second station by a conveying means such as a roller conveyor or the like.
As described above, the assembly line for assembling gang heads includes an inverting mechanism for turning the assembly upside down in the inverting station and the conveying means for conveying the assembly between the stations. Consequently, the overall assembling system is large and complex, and needs a large installation space. Further, it is not easy to reduce the number of workers attending to the assembling process at each of the stations.